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WEST JERSEY 
COLLEGIATE SCHOOL: 

THE INSPECTORS' ADDRESS, 

READ BEFORE THE PUPILS, 
January 1st., 1850; 

y 

BY JAMES M. PLATT, A. B. 

t i 

Printed at the request of the Pupils. __....^ 



ifEount ?^oll2, N.J*. 
MORETON A. STILLE, PRINTER, 

M DCCC L. 



^, 



ADDRESS. 



"Time rolls his ceaseless course;" ihe years speed by 

Like clouds of azure in a sunset sky; 

Years long and tedious to the aspiring boy, 

Who pines for manhood as his highest joy ; 

Doffs his short jacket, as with lengthened limbs 

To manhood's stature eagerly he climbs. 

And every week inspects his beardless chin, 

And scrapes with pen-knife o'er the downy skin. 

Still, — tim.e rolls on ; e'en boys perceive its flight, 
When kicking foot-ball is their chief delight. 
Or when the crooked "shinny," whirling round. 
Makes the light ball to distant corn-field bound. 
You that have sported in the morn of life, 
And fell the glowings of congenial strife, 
Tracked the fleet rabbit o'er the new-laid snow, 
And mocked the chill winds, whistling as they blow. 
Say how the moments swiftly glide along. 
Until the bell's loud chorus ends the song. 

Thus weeks, and months, and sessions wing their flight, 
And short vacations, with their pleasures bright, 
And once again December's dreary skies, 
O'er the West Jersey's peaks have ceased to rise. 

How shall we pause to view the varied scene 
That lies before us, dressed in Memory's green 1 
Obedient to the charms of Fancy's flash, 
Lo ! Carson, Larabson, Howell, Hall, Marache, 



Lriwrence and Green, and he whose quibbling quirks • 
Bade him beware of bowie knives and dirks ; 
These at the opening year, with merry glee, 
Joined in our sports, and shared our jubilee. 

Next, February comes, — her proudest day, 
Not Valentine's with tempting feast's array,' 
Where Cupid, silly messenger of Love, 
Persuades young urchins from their books to rove, — 
But that which chronicles a Chieftain's birth. 
And boys commemorate with joyful mirth: 
When holiday is given, and, books thrown by, 
" We '11 off to Shreveville," is the merry cry. 
Oh ! ye who shared it, tell us of the sport 
That skaters then enjoyed, — alas ! too short ; 
And tell hov/ Johnston, — sunk in air-hole tight, 
Found such a damper to his brief delight; 
Shivering and numb, with icy trowsers clad, 
'Twas fun to look at, but to feel, how sad ! 

Soon March expires, — the long, long session ends. 
And Wolsey falls,^ 'midst sympathising friends ; 
Gustavus, — too,* his trusty followers meets, 
And with a kingly grace their homage greets ; 
The evening closes, — sleepy beauties rise. 
And Boggs retires vvith languid, tearful eyes. 

'Twere vain to speak of joys that next begin, 
Shedding warm sunlight o'er the varied scene; 
Whether the morning nap till sun is high. 
Or beauty's merry laugh as eve draws nigh, 
Or eager chase along the mountain side. 
Or following where the rippling streamlets glide, 
To catch the pike or trout, of nimble fin, 
Or pierce gay butterflies with deadly pin ; 
Freely we rove, nor fear the iron rule, 
That fetters young desire at boarding schooK 



But ah ! too soon the short vacation flies, 
And days are counted with regrets and sighs ; 
The morning comes,— each fond good bye is said, 
And home's sweet joys for five long months have fled. 

Then, lo ! what changes : George, Ferree, and Glatz, 
Attend" our Cal." 5 from Susquehannah's flats- 
Stockton and Longhridge, now resume their seats, 
And three McDonald's come, to taste the sweets 
Of marks, and sick-lists, and inspectors' books, 
Eeading their fate in Potter's sourest looks. 

And now the smiles of lovely, blooming May, 
Chase from the earth stern winter's fierce array, 
And fertile plains shoot forth their herbage green, 
And future harvests gladden every scene. 
And yet, we stray not where the Mount invites, 
'Neath pleasing shade to view West Jersey's sights ; 
Stern laws forbid our willing feet to rove. 
E'en to the quiet haunts of neighb'ring grove t 
But soon th' embargo's raised ; when "leafy June " 
Comes sofily breathing its asolian tune. 
We saunter forth within the cooling shade, 
Or where the tinkling rill runs through the glade, 
And chase dull care, and lingering sighs for home. 
Back to the djngy school-room, whence they come. 

The glorious Fourth arrives, — the day of guns.s 
Proudest of all to great Columbia's sons; 
Not so to young West Jersey's gallant band. 
Following their leader o'er the heaps of sand, 
Lunching beside Rancocas' sluggish stream. 
And some,— at ♦' Bristar's," calling for ice cream. 
In listless pleasure, without drum or fife. 
Thus passed the the day, the calmest of our life, 

August appears,— the pestilence sweeps by, 
And deadly breezes float in every fity ; 



Still we are spared, to own His gracious hand, 
Who heard a nation's prayers, and blessed their land. 

September comes,' — the long-sought month begins, 
Brightest of all in Memory's fairy scenes ; 
In gleeful mirih the counted moments fly, 
And future pleasures sparkle in each eye; 
For as the youth on California's plain 
Seeks the rich treasure of the hidden vein, 
Counts o'er his dear-bought gains with glisi'ning eyesi. 
And homeward turns t' enjoy his hoarded prize. 
While peaceful thoughts his lonely way attend, 
And Love's fond hopes their brilliant radiance lend; 
Such are our joys, with richest treasure fraught, 
As Home's bright visions gladden every thought. 

And now October, with his cheerful skies, 

Has fled, replete with pleasant memories; 

Once more at school, we greet each well-known face, 

And with shrewd guesses view each vacant place. 

In vain we fancy Fenimore's grave phiz. 

Or Chiids and Boggs in midnight revelries ;8 

But others come, — the empty beds are filled, 

This with two snorers, that with water spilled. 9 

November soon gives up his dismal reign, 
And snowy "Winter blusters in his train; 
Christmas approaches,— sick-lists all depart, 
Health and canfeniment gladden every heart; 
Boxes from home o^sr h-eaUhy stomachs greet. 
And all day long our aim is but to eat. 
Sated with fun, with aching limbs and head, 
Drowsy and dull, we all retire to bed; 
While dreams of oysters, lemonade, and cak^e, ♦ 
Attend our fancies, sleeping or awake. 

And now 'tis past, — old 'Forty-nine has gone. 
His joys and sorrows have forever flown.; 



YoMng *Ffty comes wilh lively, ambling grace, 
With snowy vesture, and with ruddy face, 
Proclaiming gladness lo the hearts of boys, 
And redolent with Hope and Memory's joys. 
May all be happy, and while pleasures spring 
About our path, and lively voices ring, 
Praise be lo Him, whose mercies crown our days, 
Praise never ending, be the hymn we raise. 



NOTES. 

'"He'whose quibbling quirks." Master Nedgo, of the "sunny 
south," sought to alarm his mother by informing her that each 
of his school-males carried a murderous weapon, either a dirk 
or a pistol. 

2 "Valentine's with tempting feast's array." The ladies' sup- 
per in Mount Holly, on Valentine's eve, was attended by two 
stray ones from the Mount. 

3 "And Wolsey falls," &c. At the semi-annual exhibition in 
March, Messrs. C. D. Mehaffey and J. B. S. Boggs, spoke the 
dialogue between Wolsey and Cromwell, from Shakspeare's 
Henry VHI. 

"•"Gustavus, too, &c." On the same occasion Mr. W. C. 
Soulier appeared in the part of Gustavus Vasa, in a scene be- 
tween the king and two of his followers. 

*"Our Cal." The name by which one of the above men- 
tioned gentlemen was familiarly called by his younger brother. 

«"The day of guns." Had it suited the rhyme, the plural 
form of the last word might with propriety have been dropped. 
The paragraph alludes to the excursion made on "the Fourth/* 
by a majority of the pupils, with one firearm in the company, 
while some attended a teacher to the Mount Holly ice creaaa sa- 
loon. 



8 

'"September comes." The writer has omitted for want of 
lime, to mention the delightful excursion to Brown's Mills, on 
the 29ih of August; so far as pleasure was concerned, the most 
notable day of the whole year. 

8"Childs and Boggs in midnight revelries." Though all re- 
tired at a late hour on the last evening of the summer session, 
these gentlemen seemed to be gifted with an over-heated imagi- 
nation, and descanted loudly on the anticipated joys of the mor- 
row. 

9 "That with water spilled." The last resort of a pupil when 
in want of a bed-fellow, has sometimes been to empty his pitcher 
on the bed of his " warm friend." Like pouring water on a hot 
stove, it makes a great deal of sputtering, while the heat sufferi 
no sensible diminution. 






LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 

PH. 

016 165 575 2 ■ 



